I’d encourage my student to talk to the students who are part of the event—Purdue does a nice job of having students available to talk to in your program of interest. Check out Boilerlink for an idea of the clubs and extracurriculars (https://boilerlink.purdue.edu/). Walk all around campus–your daughter will either picture herself there or not.
Grant Street Parking is the main visitor lot. You can check with Purdue parking if there are day passes for your event in any other lots not normally open to visitors. Visitor Parking - Purdue University Parking - Purdue University
Walk around Chauncey, which is the neighborhood where Target, TripleX and Harry’s are around Chauncey and State Streets. When Purdue made the Final Four last year, that’s where the kids filled the streets in celebration. Lots of places to eat and drink catering to students. Pizza Uncommon across from TripleX is a newer arrival in the neighborhood and makes good pies.
Check out Main Street in downtown Lafayette where there are a variety of independent shops and restaurants. It’s a nice stroll up and back if the weather is good.
As far as getting around, if staying out near I-65 on or off of South Street, you can avoid some of the traffic by going north on Creasy and west on Union all the way onto campus while everyone else stays on South Street to State.
There’s always something under construction so campus and the surrounding area never look the same way twice it seems.